Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Keywords

Equation dictionaries, Equations as stories, Introductory Geophysics course, Western Washington University

Abstract

Many students view equations as a series of variables and operators into which numbers should be plugged rather than as representative of a physical process. To solve a problem they may simply look for an equation with the correct variables and assume it meets their needs, rather than selecting an equation that represents the appropriate physical process. These issues can be addressed by encouraging students to think of equations as stories, and to describe them in prose. This is the goal of the Equation Dictionary project, used in Western Washington University's introductory geophysics course. Throughout the course, students create personal dictionaries consisting of (a) the equation itself, (b) a brief description of variables, (c) a prose description of the physical process described by the equation, and (d) additional notes that help them understand the equation. In writing these definitions students learn that equations are simplified descriptions of physical processes, and that understanding the process is more useful than memorizing a sequence of variables. Dictionaries also serve as formula sheets for exams, a task that encourages students to write meaningful, organized definitions. Furthermore, instructor review of the dictionaries is an excellent way to identify student misconceptions and learn how well they understand derivations and lectures.

Publication Title

Journal of Geoscience Education

Volume

57

Issue

5

First Page

348

Last Page

355

Required Publisher's Statement

Every Equation Tells a Story: Using Equation Dictionaries in Introductory Geophysics. Caplan-Auerbach from the Journal of Geoscience Education: November 2009, published by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers: http://nagt-jge.org/doi/abs/10.5408/1.3544286

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5408/1.3544286

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Geophysics--Study and teaching--Activity programs

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Western Washington University. Department of Geology

Genre/Form

articles

Type

Text

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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Geology Commons

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